


The Nightmare in Our Hearts

by Valyrihme



Series: Deltarune Series [1]
Category: Deltarune (Video Game)
Genre: Blood and Gore, Crying, Food, Gen, Hugs, Swearing, Violence, Weapons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-02
Updated: 2019-02-21
Packaged: 2019-09-29 19:34:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17209643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Valyrihme/pseuds/Valyrihme
Summary: It's been days since the expected arrival of the letter regarding Kris and Susie's return. The Prince from the Dark decides it's time to take matters into his own hands, but the Knight cannot permit that.





	1. The Awakening

**Author's Note:**

> Essentially my first story. Enjoy.  
> Also, my headcanons are that Kris is male, that monsters and Darkners bleed, and that Kris, Susie and Ralsei are 18.

_Thud!_

A tiny cloud of dust spread around a big, hefty book on a coffee table, the title reading _Ralsei's GUIDE to the Dark Realm: v2._ Even heavier than the previous version, and filled with even more love. Ralsei felt content, a pure smile forming under the shadow of his oversized wizard hat. The bright smile soon shifted to a frown, however, as the realization hit; he was no longer occupied. He could clean the dust off the bookshelves and tables, or perhaps bake another cake or two, but that would only delay the inevitable.

Ever since Ralsei's newly found friends left, things returned to the way they used to be. Well, mostly. Lancer was the new King of the Dark World after overthrowing his own father, the Chaos King. He and the citizens of the Dark World have been going about their lives better than ever. Unlike Ralsei, who still lacked subjects, and now lacked Kris and Susie. It had only been a couple days since their departure, yet loneliness plagued his life like a cancer.

He got up from his sky blue comfy reclining chair and paced around his modest room, tiny paws sliding and padding along the patterned carpet for what seemed like ages, the prince thinking of just what to do. Before long, he stopped in his tracks and his fuzzy face lit up once more as a thought came to mind; today is supposed to be the day of the Lightner's return! A messenger is supposed to arrive at Ralsei's place of residence to inform him of the exact time. The Darkner did try to get Lancer to let him stay at Card Castle, but unfortunately, the fortress was under mass renovation and was filled to the brim with workers. It was hard, thinking if that would be a good or bad thing.

Alas, Ralsei would just have to wait. The old bookshelves and tables could use a bit of a cleaning, after all.

 

* * *

 

The soft fabric of the reclining chair sunk under the goat as he laid back, fairly exhausted from a day's worth of cleaning. And yet, the messenger was no where to be seen; which was odd. The Rudinn that delivers was usually on time. Perhaps the renovations back at the castle held him up.

Either way, Ralsei's options to keep him occupied were running thin. He had read all the books on his now clean shelf a dozen times over, baked more cakes than he could ever imagine, and even practiced hugging the dummy outside in the courtyard. 

While they were fun, they could only distract him from his lonesome thoughts for so long.

He would just have to wait. The mail would come in tomorrow, right? It has to, unless Kris and Susie weren't coming. Such thoughts made Ralsei worried, so it'd be best to not think of them. Think, think, what to do until they arrive... a cake, possibly. A delicious treat to welcome the heroes after their arrival! Or a thank you note even, for, well, everything they've done. The prince was eternally grateful for the two Lightners ever since he first met them in front of his own personal sanctuary. Ah, the memories... how Ralsei wished he could relive them. Fortunately, new ones will be experienced soon, once they arrive and start another grand adventure. Or maybe, he could even throw a surprise party! There was time, and it was essentially an adventure on its own that included mouthwatering cake. Or, or, or...

Soft, soothing, near silent snores drifted throughout the rooms of the forlorn castle, Ralsei falling into a deep sleep.

 

* * *

 

Light, frustrated, somewhat impatient sighs echoed throughout the stone rooms of the reclusive castle, Ralsei putting his pastel-green and magenta toothbrush back in its giraffe shaped cup. He almost never got discouraged, but he couldn't help it. No messenger, no mail, no Kris and no Susie! This was starting to become fairly irritating for the poor goat. **_'Any more waiting and I'll just have to waltz right into Card Castle myself_** ,' he thought.

...Why not right now, actually? It couldn't hurt to check, Lancer always accepts visits from the 'Toothpaste Boy' himself. And with that, Ralsei grabbed his freshly created manual and broke out into a sprint from out his room, the vibrant magenta scarf adorning his neck flapping about as he made his way down the vast, spacious hallway and out the large wooden doors of his home. A sensation of utter vigor ran through Ralsei, that wholesome smile under his dashing green hat spreading wide, the prince eager to see his friends again.

Out the great doors and through the Field of Hopes and Dreams, his little legs breaking apart the sea of lush, purple grass as he sprinted faster than he knew he could. Blocky, oddly shaped trees sprouted from the empty twilight around him, Lancer's poorly scribbled on signs guiding him as he went. Before Ralsei knew it, he was already rushing down the Great Board, black and red tiles of smoothness providing a much easier time for his urgent running. They also were the only form of ground available, pure darkness surrounding the linear environment aside from several rows of sleeping pawns. The little Darkner had to grip his fluffy scarf several times to keep it from flying away. Even the heavy manual nearly slipped out his grasp once or twice. He just couldn't wait any longer.

Soon after, the boundless emptiness of the board was replaced with a dazzling array of scarlet trees, the Scarlet Forest. ' _Almost there_ ,' Ralsei reminded to himself. So close, just a stretch until he could give Kris and Susie the biggest hug of their amazing lives.

He strayed off the bristly path, cutting through colorful bushes and narrowly dodging an extensive amount of striking trees, nearing his destination. Breaking free out of a thick treeline and into a sizable opening of the woods, Ralsei's heart dropped and his vitality died down within a second, the prince dropping his manual and nearly tumbling down onto the lush grass with a sudden halt. He readjusted his circular glasses and tilted his wide hat upwards. There in the middle of the opening lie a lone Rudinn. A familiar one, too; it was the messenger. Ralsei hastily rushed to his aid after messily scooping up the book. The Rudinn's white and green skin, once shining and flashy, was dull, battered and had deep gashes through its natural patterns. They're seeping with a black, tar-like substance, completely contrasting his glittery, jewel-like skin. He let out a pained groan, every slight bit of movement causing the ravines in his skin to drip with more Darkner blood. The Rudinn's bag full of awaiting mail was spilled all around him, most of them stained with splotches of black essence. They were Nothing has ever met Ralsei's innocent eyes like this.

"Rudy..? Oh, oh my, what happened?" Ralsei exclaimed with a shaky voice as he began to kneel down and assess the wounds further, setting his work aside for a moment. Nothing a bit of magic couldn't fix, thankfully.

The wounded Rudinn lifted his head off the dirt, just barely; its once vivid eyes now nearly devoid of life. His voice sounded just as empty and he was caked with bits of dirt.

"Don't, the castle... the Knight, he is-"

"Sssh, I'll heal you right up, stay still..." Ralsei's eyes welled up with tears. It hurt, badly, seeing someone like this. They had nothing more than a mutual relationship, and yet Ralsei was struck with overwhelming grief.

He stood up on jittery legs, clasping his furred hands together before raising one up high. A golden, radiant ball of light gleamed within his palm, and just before the could end this Rudinn's suffering, right out of the literal blue; a blue arm was visible from the corner of the goat's right eye. Ralsei turned his head quickly with wide eyes and a small little gasp, blinking a few times to check and see if he was just imagining things. He couldn't see him fully as he was in the process of saving this Rudinn's life, but he knew it was him. His signature silver armor, draped with a thin blue and pink cape jutted out with a human arm and a matching silver gauntlet. It's Kris. But why is he here of all places. Ralsei so badly wanted to greet him, give him a hug and cry into the fabric of his heroic cape. But sadly, it must wait. Proper greetings can wait in dire moments like these, but... just before Ralsei opened his mouth to speak out his shock and revelation, Kris' hefty left pauldron butted against Ralsei's frail shoulder. It knocked him forward onto his knees, the luminous orb in his palm fading away as he used both hands to catch himself on the soft forest floor.

Ralsei tilted his head upward, witnessing the Rudinn's pale body give out and go limp. A shallow pool of Darkner blood spread out from under his lifeless body. It was too late.

His lips trembled and he froze like a deer in headlights, unable to muster the strength to speak or move a muscle as his eyes simply laid upon his dead friend. He felt hollow. And yet, he also felt excitement from Kris. It felt all wrong.

Kris grabbed a hold of Ralsei's arm, pulling him up from the dirt as a few patches of it smudged his wizard outfit. Kris offered an apology. But it sounded off, insincere, and Ralsei could've sworn he saw a menacing looking grin under Kris' messy hair, seemingly unaware of the death that lay before his eyes. It's as though this were all a bad dream.

"Kris?" Ralsei felt a little dumb asking that, as though the person standing before him were somebody else. However, he still felt a peculiar sensation, as if it really wasn't Kris. "T-thanks, Kris. But," A million thoughts raced through his mind, "how could this happen? Who could've done this? And where's Susie?" Ralsei's questions were rapid and continuous, his voice backed up with a sniffle and fidgety manner. He was on the verge of prompting another, but stopped and gave a defeated sigh. It took him a few moments to recollect himself mentally and physically, Kris' hands keeping Ralsei from falling over again as they stood in the center of the glade. "I'm sorry, Kris. I just can't believe that this is happening... Kris?"

The human didn't respond. There was a feeling of dread looming over the Darkner. Something uneasy was up with Kris; he looked paler than normal and while he normally was nonchalant, he has never shown such cold and lifeless reactions. Ralsei tilted his head, his hat slumping over to the respective direction and gave the Lightner a puzzled stare.

"Kris, you are scaring me. What's the matter?" Ralsei asked with virtuous care, but it was hard to back it up with a smile when he could feel Kris' eyes cutting through him like a sword. 'Say, what about Kris' sword,' he wondered. His eyes drifted towards the blade that Kris bore one behind his back. It looked different and unlike his previous one. It was bulky and looked cumbersome, the weapon's metal blade glistening and glossy with a pure silver color. Stainless, too, and as far as one could tell, made out of the most flawless steel possible. A formidable tool created to kill. Susie would be proud; if she were here.

Kris ignored the question and instead offered to take Ralsei to Card Castle. His fingers wrapped around Ralsei's arm, giving it a firm tug. His skin felt ice cold. The two started to make way out of the clearing, despite Ralsei's hesitance. But he couldn't just deny Kris. In spite of his abnormal behavior, he was still the righteous leader. With one limb getting dragged by Kris and another grasping at the open manual, they neared the dense treeline.

And so did Susie, off to their left in a fit of unbridled rage, her entire assortment of knives bared.

"YOU GET THE HELL AWAY FROM HIM!" Susie's voice was thunderous and resonated throughout the scarlet forest, Starwalker Birds scattering into the dark sky from within them. The very ground beneath them seemed to shake and rock from her monstrous and uncontrollable stomping. Susie's black vest and purple shirt were torn and drenched in blood, exposing crimson and the bright pink scales of her body. The evidence of battle moved further down to her baggy set up pants which matched her grimy hair; torn, and ripped, each tear exposing a bleeding cut in her scales. Dirty, heavy black boots with golden trims left profound footsteps in the ground and each step was slightly off balance; most likely from the blood loss. Before they knew it, Susie lunged forward with a deafening roar, putting all her weight into a swing of her battle-ax, aiming to sever Kris' arm clean off.

Ralsei, induced with fear, pulled and yanked his arm back, opposing Kris' frantic tugging to try and make haste with him. It would look comical, if there wasn't a colossal berserker with a killer axe wanting to induce bloodshed with Kris. Eventually and expeditiously, the Knight let go, throwing himself forward to dodge Susie's swing by the skin of his teeth whilst Ralsei flew back into the dirt, getting it more tainted in muck. The oversized cleaver buried itself deep into the earth, its brutal impact splitting the land beneath it in two and appropriately stirring up a substantial cloud of dust. Just as quickly as Kris' maneuver, Susie's broad hand seized the dazed goat's arm and made a beeline back into the treeline with her weapon slung against her shoulder. He whined in response, his arms sore and numb as he was dragged along the soil, a spare hand clutching his manual with desperation. Its pages flung and tore themselves out, one by one, littering the forest floor with his work. Ralsei could only watch with sorrow, ultimately letting go of the cover.

 

* * *

 

The castle doors were met with a savage kick as the two finally made it in the prince's desolate abode. It wasn't long until Susie collapsed onto the cold stone floor, barely keeping herself up with her knees and hand against it, another hand pressing against a grim laceration on her rib cage. Sticky blood oozed from behind her hand and dribbled onto the once spotless floor. Ralsei knelt down and put his shaking hands on her back and shoulder. Slowly but steady she rose up, her breathing ragged. The monster's pinkish scales were marred with grime, scratches and several lesions, all of them paling in comparison to the one in her side, but they all still were bloodstained and cut deep enough to leave a severe mark. Ralsei wasted no time, conjuring up a shimmering orb of luminosity and letting its warmth and care shine over the wounded girl. It only took a few short moments until her dilapidated wounds closed back up and vanished as though they were never there in the first place. With her body back to normal, her frazzled breathing slowed to a moderate pace. For its entirety, tears of anguish steadily flowed down the Darkner's cheek, rooting themselves deep within his fur until they soaked.

"S-stay still, Susie... you're still healing, you need to r-" Ralsei could only sniffle his words before they were cut off by Susie's weighty hands resting and gripping his shoulders.

"Ralsei. I _need_ you to listen to me." Her voice was firm and reverberated with authority. The goat nodded his head, slowly. "Drop all your emotions and feelings with the thing that you just talked to. Because that is **not** Kris. You got that? I need you to stay with me here, Ralsei..."

The prince's hands came up and slid behind his tear-stained glasses, wiping the heartache away.

"But, that is, it is h-him, Susie... haven't you talked to him? Kris is just-"

"Ralsei."

He could see her yellow eyes glaring at him through her messy plum hair. They were of frustration and remorse. Ralsei simply nodded once more, his teary eyes staring at his feet, dripping with woe.

"I... understand. I just can't believe Kris would-"

His words were, again, cut off. Susie's large arms wrapped around the Darkner, and squeezed tight; almost too tight, as he barely managed to bring his own arms up to return the favor. Even breathing was a struggle. The two embraced for what felt like hours until they let go. Back to the task at hand.

"And, um, thanks also. For the healing. I can always count on you." Susie said this with a sheepish grin, one of her clawed hands rubbing the back of her head. It was hard for her to admit things like these, and Ralsei could tell she was looking away in embarrassment despite her matted hair concealing her usually fierce eyes.

Ralsei expressed much glee to this. "You're welcome Susie!" His eyes shone from behind his green glasses. "But what now?" Ralsei asked this with curiosity and a spark of optimism. His heart still ached from earlier, but the much needed hug sparked a renewal of his vigor.

"Just get some furniture over there, drag it over. You think you can manage that, right Toothpaste Boy?" Susie flashed a toothy grin back at him while she walked over to shut the wooden entryway.

"As long as we get to practice hugging more after this!" Ralsei retorted back with a playful tone from his room, the little goat already on it and getting behind his snug reclining chair, pushing at it with all his might; which wasn't very much. It dragged slowly across the floor, scraping along the slabs of rock underneath and creating a ruckus. It, however, paled in comparison with the booming clatter of chairs, tables and whatnot stacked up against the entryway by the time Ralsei managed to barely push the chair out of the room. Susie dusted her hands clean and admired her 'work', before approaching the shifting chair. It completely enveloped the prince's stature, but Susie lifted it up effortlessly, shoving it against the pile of rubble with a loud crash. She smirked at the finishing touch. Ralsei could only watch in astonishment at her impressive display of sheer strength, something he admired and knew very well.

"There. That should keep that damn demon away, just for a little." Susie muttered to herself, then turning to Ralsei. "Come on, we'll take the fight to the top."

Susie grabbed her dirt stained battle-ax from the wall it leaned on, clanging it against the rocky flooring to rid the specks of mud from it before hoisting it up to have it rest on her ample, scaly shoulder.

"By my Fountain of Darkness? But why?" Ralsei looked up at her towering size with a face of bewilderment. "Wait, you mean, Kris is going to-"

"Yeah. I know. Which is why we can't let it happen." Susie hung her head rather low, walking past Ralsei with gritted daggers for teeth. Her sturdy boots made ringing echoes throughout the empty halls.

The lonely prince clasped his hands together and frowned, contemplating his thoughts in the middle of the hallway. Ralsei always followed the practice of acting over fighting. He thoroughly believed that in this world, peace is something everyone can and should get behind. Such beliefs were fading away and as much as the poor goat didn't want to, he might have to fight for once. Just this once. He sighed and looked down, closing his eyes to reminisce. In such a short amount of time, his world turned upside down and he had lost someone - no, two friends near and dear to him. Susie approached the bottom of the spiral staircase, looking over her shoulder for a moment over at Ralsei, who silently stood in the corridor.

Susie called out to him with her strong voice. "Hey, Toothpaste Boy! We can practice hugging, after all this I suppose. Alright?" Her bold eyes shone through her muddled hair. They were of hope.

Ralsei turned around to face her, lifting his noble eyes from the floor and adjusting his glasses. "I'd be happy to, Susie. Let's go." A lively smile emerged from within the darkness.


	2. The Shadow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Do your strongest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: explicit blood and gory details.

The titanic pillar of darkness pierced the heavens. It obscured everything in its gloom aside from the very stone the battle ensued. Battlements surrounded either side of the narrow pathway that led to the fountain. There ran the risk of getting hurled off into one's untimely demise. Nowhere to run. At least not with the Knight cornering them.

Susie pushed Ralsei out of the way. He fell back onto the cold stone, dazed.  A sword slashed at an angle at where he just was. It cut through the air with precision and finesse.

The monster reared back for another mighty swing. She always put full force into her ax. Kris was far too nimble, however. It swung downward with enough strength to fracture slabs of rock. A complete miss. It stirred dust up high into the air around them. Susie's eyes watered and lost sight of the Knight.

As said Knight reappeared through the thick cloud, Ralsei rejoined the fray. He attempted to get Kris to trip with his scarf, but to no avail. Kris pulled his leg back, hard and sudden. It sent Ralsei tumbling past him. He made hard contact with the gravel with a resounding thud; now unconscious.

Such an act sent Susie into a rage. She charged forward, swinging madly. The two skilled warriors clashed for what seemed like ages. It was a tug of war for victory between once close friends.

Despite their desperation to win, they couldn't go on forever. The two stopped to rest, digging their weapons against the ground for support. They looked at each other with intent to kill from opposite ends of the castle roof's battlements. Deep down, however, Susie knew there was a hint of him still there. Even though this demon is merely an empty shell of her former best friend's self, she didn't want to kill him. Although, any other option seemed out of the equation. Either way, Kris seemed nearly unfazed, still full of confidence, even. While he was as tired as Susie, his expressions never faltered. Even with a few good dents in his armor and some bruises and cuts on his blue skin. Susie, on the other hand, trembled. Whether it was from fear or the sheer exertion her body felt, she couldn't tell. Her breathing was ragged and raspy. She could taste a vile mixture of her blood and sweat as it rolled down her scaly face and onto her dry lips. Even the metallic smell of her essence filled her nostrils. Now that she thought about it, she _was_ losing a lot of blood from all the cuts and gashes deforming her body. Too much blood. Small pools of it formed beneath her boots. But she couldn't quit now. Not when the fate of this world lies in her and Ralsei's hands.

She looked up at Kris again, who was know on his feet and making a dash towards her. Her heart skipped a beat and she forced herself up.

The Knight thrust forward with pinpoint accuracy. She'd be dead if it weren't for the adrenaline kicking in. It slit the side of her throat, splattering blood onto the battlements.

Susie cried out in pain and grasped at the wound. A hard kick followed. Her boot collided with Kris' silver armor, knocking him back.

' _Fuck,_ ' Susie thought to herself. It hurt like absolute hell. Blood drooled down her hand as it clasped over the stinging laceration. It must've severed something vital.

Still, she kept at it. Ignoring the pain, Susie gripped her ax and rushed at Kris. He was busy recuperating. The monster launched a barrage of swings of various directions. Little dust storms flooded the rooftops of the castle from her relentless rampage.

Kris couldn't dodge them all. A couple of hits made their mark and put dents in his shining armor. The red that stained the edges of the holes suggested they at least made flesh wounds. One them would have utterly disemboweled him, had there been no metal to take the hit. A good killing blow is what she needed.

Eventually, Susie had Kris against a gap of the battlements. The pitch black light from the fountain shone on their faces. They grit their teeth and grunted. With ax against sword, Susie pushed with all her force and weight, using every muscle in her body to throw the Knight off the edge and into the abyss below them.

Success seemingly drew close for the monster. Kris found himself raised off the ground. Closer and closer he drew nearer to his death.

Susie roared. The muscles in her arms bulged and rippled. She could taste and feel coppery blood rising in the back of her throat. In spite of the cut in her neck, she gave one final push.

The splintering sound was not that of her ax buried into the human's skull - if only that were the case. Instead, the upper part of the haft broke into two. The head of the ax fell and grazed the cheek of the Knight, flaying a patch of skin and severing strands of hair. Susie's fury died down in seconds. Only a profound sense of shock filled her now.

Kris took this opportunity without a second to waste. He brought space between them, driving her back with his boot. It wasn't long until the tip of his blade hacked Susie's face.

A deep incision ran across her eye and socket. The monster fell back, clutching at her eye. She couldn't even find it in herself to yell out in pain anymore.

Kris' silver greave impacted her side as she tried to get up. They ended up back at the opposite end of the battlements.

Susie wanted to vomit. So much blood lost, it all seemed hopeless. Raising her head up from the cool stone, she witnessed the Knight making his way towards Ralsei who was just now awake.

With her declining strength, she pushed herself to lean back against the battlements and cry out to Kris.

"Kris, God damn it, stop!" Susie's voice faltered. "I know you're in there. Just, please... stop it..." It was getting harder and harder to speak with all the blood loss.

Ralsei quivered with every loud step Kris took. His sword shone with blood, leaving a trail. It was the end.

"Kris..." Ralsei stood as still as a statue. Fighting wasn't his strong suit, especially with Kris. Easy pickings for the latter. "Kris, yo-" The prince's words were cut off by metal fingers around his throat. Kris turned around with the squirming goat in his hand and propelled him towards the fountain with a whine.

Susie bared her fangs and wanted to get up. But even trying simply sent jolts of pain throughout her whole body. It can't end like this.

The Darkner got back up and just barely escaped Kris' sword as it dug into the ground. Ralsei retaliated with his magenta scarf. But such a 'weapon' was incomparable to the Knight's steel as it cut through the frail fabric with ease.

Each and every lash proved fruitless as Kris cornered him.

Susie lay in a considerable pool of blood. Her once pink scales turned a ghastly pale color from the blood loss. Her hair stuck to her face, dripping with sweat and blood. Her eyes, formerly golden yellow and full of ferocity now dwindled down to a sickly shade. Even then, with the final amount of strength her body could muster, she spoke out her final

"I-I'm sorry, Ralsei... I let you down... please, forgive me..."

She slumped down, lifeless.

Ralsei's mind soon became unable to comprehend the world around him. It was spinning. It was chaotic. It was dark, and it felt surreal. The surge of emotions and feelings that bounced throughout his thoughts rendered him traumatized and in shock.

Still, he kept at it. Ralsei punched and kicked, throwing himself at Kris as a poor last ditch attempt. The Knight grimaced at his foolishness. The prince's fuzzy paws either bounced off the silver, or got blocked by a simple raise of an arm.

He could feel his back against the never ending void. Tears dribbled down his cheeks and matted his fur. Hyperventilation ensued. He cried out for Kris, for Susie, for anyone to come and end this nightmare. He felt the darkness around him consume him, eat him up and take him away.

It didn't compare to the feeling of piercing coldness in his gut. Soothing, yet agonizing. It felt so very cold. The feeling of icy steel inside of him. The tip of Kris' blade protruded from Ralsei's back and dipped itself in blood and the twilight of the fountain.

Blinding light erupted from behind the prince and shone on Kris' face. Past his evil, emotionless demeanor lay a faint hint of regret. Of **Kris**. It felt bitter. It hurt.

The prince wriggled around the blade's grasp. Merciless fingers met his throat, squeezing every trace of hope out of him.

Ralsei set his feeble, quaking digits against Kris' gauntlets and cried out into the heavens above in anguish; determined to find the reason for his torment.

The shadow of the Knight's hand enveloped him in darkness. Ralsei could only accept his fate, and the Dark World would soon follow suit.


	3. The Reality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reality is frightening. Maybe Jevil was right, after all. But it's still worth a shot.

Nothing. 

That's what it felt like. 

It's what it was. Forever spiraling down into the vast and spacious emptiness of nothing, forever condemned. 'Condemned for what?' thought Ralsei. He was damned to think this for the rest of eternity in this void. It tortured him so. 

Ralsei spoke out. Nothing, as expected. He tried to yell, cry out for help, something. It all felt surreal. The prince tried to move, wriggle his way out of this bare world, reach out for something. Someone. For Susie. Even Kris, despite prior events. He screamed bloody murder. But nobody came. Determining whether he was alive or not was a struggle. Oddly enough, there was no pain to be felt in this nothingness. Well, no physical pain at least. No sword. Ralsei's mind wracked, however. Despite not even being able to make out his own body and self, he could feel pain streak across the skies of his mind as though it were like lightning. Instantaneous and wild. It felt bitter. It _hurt._  
  
_"Ralsei."_

Abruptly, a voice and hand appeared from within the dark. Ralsei couldn't exactly make them out. In fact, he couldn't really _see_ the hand and source of the voice anyway. But he could sense them, feel them drape his nonexistent form in even more void. Confused and dazed, Ralsei thrashed with all the absent might he could muster. Comprehension of this reality was long forgotten. Still, he jerked and writhed about, hoping to find the answer to this torment. Could you call it torment? Nothing made sense anymore. Even then, Ralsei yelled out for reasons unbeknownst to himself.

_"Ralsei..."_

The voice called out again. It sounded familiar. A little comforting, actually. In this extensive land of darkness, even the tiniest sliver of comfort kept Ralsei from descending into insanity. The Darkner began to twist and turn again in the nothingness, crying out for help. The hand that enveloped him was joined by another. Then another two. Except the latter felt different. It felt wrong, but alluring, also. It brought confused feelings.

"Stop..!" Ralsei cried out.

The prince beat against the shadows repeatedly. They persisted.

"Stop, stop it now!" The prince felt like shedding tears, if that was even feasible in this plane. 

"RALSEI!" That voice persisted. 

Ralsei shouted at the top of his nonexistent lungs. "STOP! Get away from me!"

He cried. Hoped.

Nothing.

That's what it really was.

Nothing.

 

* * *

 

 

"...Hey, Toothpaste Boy, you awake?" That voice again.

Ralsei's eyes struggled to open. Blinding light flooded his vision. He brought his hands up to rub his eyes. He could actually see this time. His hands, the fur that covered his body.

He could also see the familiarity of Susie looming over him on one side of the bed. Her size towered most. Susie's hands were tightly grasping his shoulders, shaking him awake without much care for gentleness. On the other side of the bed stood Kris. Kris. Blue skin, messy, dark hair and that cool, nonchalant look. Yep, that's Kris alright. Part of Ralsei felt relieved. Another part felt uneasy.

"...Susie? K-Kris?" Ralsei slowly raised himself upright, clinging the blanket tightly to him. He reached to his right, his shaky hand patting around the blue, wooden nightstand for his glasses. Grabbing a hold of them, he brought them up to his eyes.

The two Lightners kept a grip on the prince, keeping him steady. Susie spoke out with her usual gruff demeanor. "Stay still, dude. Me and Kris just got here like an hour ago and found you yelling and tossing in bed. Had a bad dream?"

With much surprise, Susie gave the Darkner a few reassuring strokes along his back. Kris sat on the edge of the bed, handing Ralsei his scarf and hat that were laying on the nightstand as well. Ralsei mumbled a short 'thank you' and took them with trembling fingers. Before long, he broke down into tears, burying his face into said scarf and hat. They quickly became stained with sorrow.

"Hey, hey, Ralsei, relax," Susie looked at Kris nervously as she uttered with haste. She's never been good with this sort of stuff.

Kris nodded and turned towards Ralsei. His gentle arms wrapped around Ralsei's quivering mass, pulling him close. "It's alright, Ralsei. What's the matter?" Kris said softly.

Ralsei shook his head side to side, hiding his tear-stained face. "It was so horrible! The nightmare, what Jevil said, the Knight, Kris, you, y-you-" Ralsei was out of breath, hyperventilating and whimpering as he curled up into a ball in Kris' arms. The human simply rocked the prince back and forth with great care, resting his head on his shoulder.

The goat sighed with a sniffle, slowly calming down. The room fell quiet with the odd whimper every now and then. Kris looked back at Susie, who had a frown on her face. She kept a fairly gentle hand on his other shoulder until his crying was no more.

Ultimately, Ralsei's woes could not last forever. He lifted his face back up, fur matted with tears and all as he spoke out weakly. "I-I'm sorry. You two should never have to see me like this..."

Susie got up from leaning against the wall, kneeling down to get a better look at Ralsei. Her hair concealed gloomy eyes. "Y'wanna talk about it? Sounds real bad for you to be like this."

"It's j-just a bad nightmare, Susie. About Jevil, and, a-and, an-"

"Ralsei," Susie cut him off with a gravelly tone. It made Ralsei jump a little bit.

"It's about what Jevil said! About the nightmare, about the shadow of the Knight's h-hand..." Ralsei glanced at Kris for a split-second with the final few words. "I'm scared, knowing that it could all happen, and..." 

Susie grit her teeth. She was tough. Most things couldn't get past her scaly exterior. But Jevil's words did burn a mark into her memory. "I know, Ralsei. I know. I say we go talk to Seam about it," Susie stood up with a firm frown on her face. "That little clown freak meant something bad for sure."

The human nodded and let go of Ralsei. The duration of the sweet hug left imprints in his dark fur. It helped, at least a little. But the nightmare burned a mark in Ralsei's mind deeper than the jester's final words.

"W-Wait a moment," Ralsei got out of bed faster than he should have, wobbling a little on his feet. Susie was already at the doorway, leaving Kris to help Ralsei walk. "I just need a minute, to gather my thoughts. And, where is Lancer? He should be with you, Susie, correct?"

The monster girl was already out the door, but still called back. "He's in the living room, probably on your couch or something. A day of renovating put the little guy to sleep." And with that, she was down the hall to the kitchen. Probably for a quick snack before their departure. She was always a hungry one.

After several moments of helping Ralsei stumble across the room, he looked up at Kris. At his blank stare. It was Kris. No one else. Not a monster or demon. But Kris. He never showed much emotion, but that collected, composed manner belonged to Kris and only Kris. Ralsei smiled up at him. It earned him a little grin back.

"I think I'm fine now, Kris. I just needed some time to adjust." Ralsei murmured from under his breath, blushing a little. He just realized how much contact he's been having with the human. The Darkner looked down at his feet to try and hide it.

"Are you sure?" Kris replied with that laid-back ring in his voice.

Ralsei nodded quickly, getting a little tipsy from embarrassment. It felt good to be near _Kris_ after the prior experiences.

"Alright. I'll be with Susie if you need me. Need to make sure she doesn't clean out the ingredients for your next cake." Kris gave another light smile, giving one last glimpse at Ralsei before quietly shutting the creaky wooden door behind him.

Ralsei sighed to himself, thinking. His heart pounded, both from Jevil and from Kris. But things looked a bit better than they were before. Kris put his heart and soul into Ralsei's well-being after all.

The prince became lost in his thoughts for a minute, before jumping up slightly as a positive thought resurfaced. Eagerly walking back to his bed, he reached underneath the pillow. A gift, for Kris and Susie's return. A book. The title read _Ralsei's GUIDE to the Dark Realm: v2._ Even heavier than the previous version, and filled with even more love. Ralsei felt content. Excited. He just couldn't wait to show his friends another labor of love.

Opening the door with the book cradled in his arms, Ralsei stepped out. Off to his right was Susie at the end of the hall in his comfy little kitchen, stuffing her face with a leftover slice of chocolate fudge cake. Kris, however, wasn't there checking on her like he said he would. Off to his left, he heard movement; the loud rustling of his couch. It resonated throughout the empty hall. Perhaps Kris checked on Lancer instead. Quite understandable, knowing how mischievous he can be.

Not wanting to disturb Susie's personal snack-time, he silently made his way to the living room off to the left of the doorway, eventually turning the corner with his gift tucked in his arms to keep it a surprise.

"Kris, Lancer, come with me into the kitchen, I think it's time t-"

The sound of the rustling of the couch was none other than Lancer's struggle as Kris had his cold, metal fingers wrapped around his throat. Squeezing. Lancer was blue. And not the kind of blue that Lancer's body or clothes were. Ralsei couldn't move a muscle. It felt like that dream. No, that nightmare, coming across the dying Rudinn in the forest. The horrible memories flooded back, overcoming the recently renewed joy.

Jevil meant it. The Delta Warriors wouldn't have such a pleasant dream after all. 

Ralsei wanted to move. To scream for help, for Susie. To escape. But he just couldn't. Jevil foretold this. The hellish reality he described, unfolding right before Ralsei's eyes.

The prince stared as the clawing of Lancer's hands against Kris' silver gauntlet became weaker and weaker. His voice strained and could only come out as dying gasps. It was only a matter of time until his squirming ceased. His arms drooped off of the couch. Lifeless. Ralsei's eyes became locked onto Kris'. Eyes that could only be described as pools of blood. They pierced the prince's very soul.

It fell eerily silent between them. The human let go of the Darkner's corpse. The cushions beneath were molded to his shape. Kris' blade materialized into his hands before getting into a battle position, taking a step forward. Then another. And then one more. The silence broke from a loud stomp and a piercing shriek.

"You... get the hell... away from him!" Susie readily moved Ralsei behind her much larger frame. Her massive ax was slung over her shoulder, ready to sever bodies into two. She kept a large arm in front of Ralsei, giving a worried glance down at him. Her eyes shone through her hair. They didn't speak, but they didn't need to.

_Thud!_

A tiny cloud of dust spread across the floor, the big and hefty book's pages scattering about. Ralsei unraveled his magenta scarf. It sparked with years of training in magic of various sorts. Susie lowered her arm a bit, smiling just a little as the prince got into a battle stance.

Ralsei lifted his noble eyes from the floor, adjusting his glasses to meet Susie's gaze.

Her bold eyes shone through her muddled hair. They were of hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to all of you who read through this story. It was hard jumping into the world of writing, but I managed. Hopefully future stories will be easier to create.


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